Test and Measurement Feature Library

Operations Engineer's library catalogues editorial features going back five years.

Access to all archive material is free to all, including non-members of IPlantE (the Institution of Operations Engineers) or BES (Bureau of Engineer Surveyors), under the umbrella of SOE (Society of Operations Engineers). However, to discover the many benefits of becoming an SOE member, please click here.

16/05/2023 Reducing supply chain problems The impact of supply chain issues on industry services has highlighted the importance of having an effective enterprise asset management (EAM) solution in place, writes Alan Cambridge, CEO of enterprise asset management specialist Peacock ... » Read More

29/03/2023 The promise of data interoperability Barbara Frei, Schneider Electric executive vice president, industrial automation speaks with Kaishi Zhang, former global director, product management and marketing, EcoStruxure Automation Expert » Read More

29/03/2023 Profiting from PID data At pigments and dyes manufacturer Heubach Group, Festo AX artificial intelligence provided benefits for maintenance, engineering and productivity from PID data » Read More

29/03/2023 Measuring liquid levels Liquid level measurement sensors are being installed throughout the sewage network to reduce stormwater sewer discharges, reports Jody Muelaner » Read More

29/03/2023 Optical sensors and ambient light Baumer explains why ambient light has such a significant influence on optical sensors. It contends that its sensor toolbox provides the benefits of ambient light immunity, eliminating many error sources in production » Read More

20/03/2023 Asset management: bending lines into circles The future circular economy needs asset management to define and support the management of multiple asset life cycles and harness and unlock additional value streams that the assets enable, according to The Institute of Asset Management » Read More

20/03/2023 Sensing: smell management A Paris waste-to-energy plant improves odour mitigation with smart sensors and environmental intelligence provided by Ellona » Read More

20/03/2023 AI and vibration analysis When a vibration level goes out of tolerance, automated condition monitoring software can notify maintenance staff of an issue. While a skilled vibration analyst would typically be required to diagnose the actual cause of the fault to fix ... » Read More

20/02/2023 Inside London's 'super sewer' Construction of London’s new 25km-long River Thames sewer tunnel is progressing at pace, as delivery company Tideway pursues its 2025 targeted opening date. By Brian Wall » Read More

20/02/2023 Catchments: a new view of wastewater treatment When considering the cost and carbon footprint associated with conventional treatment using chemicals, can water catchment provide a more nature-based alternative? By Steed Webzell » Read More

20/02/2023 All about storm overflows As Southern Water recovers from a dark period, managing storm overflows is the biggest challenge that it – and the industry – faces. Water utilities use storm overflows to serve as relief valves that ensure that rain and wastewater is ... » Read More

20/02/2023 Test & measurement: finding the right level Non-contact FMCW level measurement technology for the food and beverage industry provides measurement accuracy while adapting to existing process connections. By Olivier Reglat, food industry manager, Krohne » Read More

20/02/2023 The proper way to do pressure testing EEMUA and SAFed have released guidance on pressure tests following a series of deaths and injuries. Each comes at the issue from a slightly different angle. By Ben Spencer » Read More

24/01/2023 Minimising the risk of summer downtime Dave Palmer, general manager for the UK and Ireland at ICS Cool Energy, explains how manufacturers can future-proof their temperature control equipment – and their productivity – against the effects of unplanned summer downtime » Read More

23/01/2023 Making the grade: gas analyser calibration and maintenance Calibrating and maintaining a gas analyser is a critical business, with the potential of fines and even plant shutdowns for any companies reporting incorrect readings » Read More

09/01/2023 Construction: the call of nature New rules on improving biodiversity during the development of industrial parks are coming soon, demanding net gains in site ecology » Read More

09/01/2023 Bearing useful news A new approach to condition monitoring relies on computers making their own connections on bearing health from large datasets. By Toby Clark » Read More

09/01/2023 Ex repairs The requirements placed on the individuals and organisations involved in the repair and service of Ex-rated electromechanical equipment. By Thomas Marks, general manager and secretary of the Association for Electrical and Mechanical Trades » Read More

14/11/2022 The sensor requirements of data centres With responsibility for around 1% of global electricity consumption, the sector is heavily affected by turbulence in energy costs, so there is a very strong demand for energy efficiency. In common with all good process efficiency measures, ... » Read More

14/11/2022 Blue, green or both? The government has doubled its target for hydrogen production, from five to 10GW by 2030, as part of its new Energy Security Strategy. But how ready is UK industry? » Read More

24/10/2022 Medical-grade air The medical and pharmaceutical industries use compressed air for a range of applications. Because medical gases often have a direct impact on patient health, it is critical that the compressed air used for these purposes is 100% oil-free » Read More

17/10/2022 Track materials in continuous processes Continuous flow chemistry processes can benefit from a process analytical technology (PAT) framework that incorporates material tracking and tracing functions. By Martin Gadsby, director at Optimal Industrial Technologies, and Ernie ... » Read More

23/09/2022 Visualising the invisible Umicore shines a light on gas sensors at work » Read More

23/09/2022 Understanding motor current signature analysis By continuously monitoring the current supplied to the stator, it is possible to detect many electrical faults in induction motors, including opening or shorting conditions on the stator, as well as some mechanical faults such as bearing ... » Read More

15/09/2022 Digitalisation workbench Information on its own is useless; it needs a context, and to be useful it needs to be translated into action. Modern storage and control systems can do wonderful things with sensor data – but that data needs to be in digital form. Here ... » Read More